Heard about the Cloud? Not sure what it is or where to start

The cloud or cloud computing provides computer software and storage solutions via the internet to end users through their web browser or desktop and mobile apps.

Historically the software we use on our PC's has been installed on the actual computer we use, our files and photos stored on the computers hard disk.

When we run out of storage space we have to buy and install new hardware. If we want to share our files we have to email them or use an external memory device to transfer them. If there is a new piece of software we want, we buy the cd and install it.

The cloud hosts the latest software applications and storage space on servers in remote locations which we can access through our web browser as if the programs were installed locally on our own computers.

The short video below showcases the service that Apple supplies called the iCloud which should give you a better idea of how it works.
iCloud stores your music, photos, documents, and more and wirelessly pushes them to all your devices.

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  Your life's work, wherever you are.

  Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere. This means that any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, phones and even the Dropbox website. Dropbox also makes it super easy to share with others, whether you're a student or professional, parent or grandparent. Even if you accidentally spill a latte on your laptop, have no fear! You can relax knowing that Dropbox always has you covered, and none of your stuff will ever be lost.

   

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  Your content. On all your devices.

  iCloud is so much more than a hard drive in the sky. It makes it quick and effortless to access just about everything on the devices you use every day. iCloud automatically stores your content so it's always available to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC. It gives you access to your music, apps, latest photos and more from whichever device you happen to be using. And it keeps your email, contacts and calendars up to date across all your devices. No syncing required. No management required. In fact, no anything required. iCloud does it all for you.

   

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  Store and share your files online

  Windows Live SkyDrive offers 25GB of free online storage. You can use SkyDrive storage to back up your files online for free, or to share large files with others. You can assign permissions and set folders to public or private, to help you share individual files with only people that you select. SkyDrive also gives you access to free Office Web Apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint so you can create, share and work online with others. With SkyDrive you can also create Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, even without having Microsoft Office installed.

   

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  Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3)

  Amazon S3 is storage for the Internet. It is designed to make web-scale computing easier for developers.

  Amazon S3 provides a simple web services interface that can be used to store and retrieve any amount of data, at any time, from anywhere on the web. It gives any developer access to the same highly scalable, reliable, secure, fast, inexpensive infrastructure that Amazon uses to run its own global network of web sites. The service aims to maximize benefits of scale and to pass those benefits on to developers.

   

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